magic and real detectives-第7节

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During　the　flush　times　that　followed　the　war；　immense　fortunes　were

suddenly　acquired　by　a　class　of　cheats　who　operated　on　the

credulity　of　the　public　through　gift　enterprises；　lotteries；　and

other　kindred　schemes。　　Most　of　the　large　concerns　established

their　headquarters　in　New　York　City；　flooding　the　entire　country；

particularly　the　South　and　West；　with　lithographic　circulars；

written　apparently　with　the　pen　for　the　exclusive　benefit　of　the

recipient；　and　showing　how　fortunes　could　be　securely　made　by

remitting　specified　sums　to　the　houses　in　question。　　Some　of　the

bogus　firms　simply　pocketed　the　cash　of　correspondents　without

pretending　to　render　any　equivalent　whatever；　while　others；　no　more

honest；　but　a　little　more　politic；　sent　forth　worthless　jewelry　and

other　stuff　by　the　bushel。



One　of　the　most　villainous　and　at　the　same　time　successful　devices

was　built　up　on　the　offer　of　counterfeit　currency　at　a　heavy

discount。　　In　substance；　the　circulars；　emanating　from　different

parties；　and　from　the　same　parties　under　different　names；　were　all

alike。　　They　usually　began　with　an　insidious　compliment　to　the

person　addressed；　to　the　effect　that　from　trustworthy　sources　the

writer　had　heard　of　him　as　a　man　of　more　than　ordinary　capacity　and

shrewdness；　and；　emboldened　by　the　high　estimate　placed　upon　his

abilities　by　persons　well　qualified　to　judge；　had　selected　him　as

the　very　individual　to　aid　in　securing　a　fortune　for　both　with

〃absolute　safety。〃　　The　circular　usually　goes　on　to　state　that　the

writer　is　a　first…class　engraver；indeed　〃one　of　the　most　expert

in　the　United　States；〃while　his　partner　is　a　first…class　printer。

Hence　the　firm　possess　unrivaled　facilities　for　imitating　the

national　currency。　　The　recipient　is　particuarly　cautioned　to

beware　of　a　class　of　miscreants　who　infest　the　city　of　New　York　and

advertise　throughout　the　country　the　goods　that　he　manufactures；

but　send　nothing　except　rubbish。　　The　〃original　Doctor　Jacobs〃

excoriates　unmercifully　the　whole　tribe　of　swindlers　whose

rascalities　debauch　and　bring　odium　upon　the　trade。　　He　exhorts　the

gentleman　of　great　reputed　〃shrewdness　and　sagacity〃　to　observe　the

utmost　caution　in　conducting　operations；　and　gives　him　explicit

directions　how　to　forward　the　purchase…money。



Several　years　ago　a　preacher　of　the　gospel；　stationed　not　far　from

the　northern　frontier　of　the　republic；　received　by　mail　one　of　the

seductive　missives　of　Ragem　&　Co。；　of　New　York　City。　　The　douceur

opened　with　the　usual　complimentary　references　to　the　peculiar

personal　fitness　of　the　clergyman　for　the　proposed　enterprise；　and

went　on　to　state　that；　in　exchange　for　genuine　greenbacks；　Ragem　&

Co。　would　furnish　in　the　proportion　of　fifty　to　one　imitations　so

absolutely　perfect　that　the　most　experienced　bank　officers　could

not　distinguish　the　difference。　　Rev。　Zachariah　Sapp；for　such　was

the　euphonious　name　of　the　preacher；after　an　attentive　perusal　of

the　flattering　proposal；　deposited　the　document　in　his　coat…pocket

for　convenience　of　reference。　　Having　pondered　the　subject　for　a

day　or　two；　he　decided　to　write　to　Ragem　&　Co。　for　more　explicit

information。



Divining　with　the　peculiar　instinct　of　the　guild　the　character　of

the　fish　now　nibbling　at　the　naked　hook；　the　cheat　resolved　to　risk

a　little　bait；　and　accordingly　sent　by　return　mail　a　genuine　one…

dollar　note；　with　a　written　invitation　both　for　a　reply　and　a

personal　conference。



Never　before　did　the　Rev。　Zachariah　Sapp　subject　a　piece　of　paper

to　such　scrutiny。　　Both　with　the　naked　eye　and　with　a　microscope；

a　relic　of　collegiate　days；he　studied　the　engravings　and　filigree

work。　　Detail　by　detail　he　compared　the　supposed　imitation　with

bills　of　known　genuineness　without　being　able　to　discover　the

slightest　point　of　variation　between　them。　　Paper；　printing；　and

engraving　seemed　to　be　absolutely　perfect。　　While　the　study　was

progressing；　the　imagination　of　the　clergyman　soared　through　the

empyrean　of　dazzling　expectations。　　Why　continue　to　toil　hard　for　a

small　pittance　when　the　golden　apples　were　hanging　within　easy

reach？　　Why　drag　out　an　existence　in　penury　when　wealth　and　its

joys　were　thrust　upon　him？



Zachariah；　however；　was　prudent　and　thriftyindeed　rather　more

thrifty　in　the　estimation　of　parishioners　than　befitted　one　who

held　by　right　of　faith　a　title…deed　to　mansions　in　the　skies。

Almost　as　soon　would　he　risk　his　future　inheritance　as　peril　on　a

doubtful　venture　the　few　hundred　dollars　snugly　saved　up　for　a　wet

day　by　prudence　and　economy。



Not　willing　to　rely　entirely　on　his　own　judgment；　he　rather

reluctantly　decided　to　call　on　a　banker　in　an　adjacent　town；　with

whom　he　enjoyed　a　slight　acquaintance。　　In　thinking　the　matter　over

he　was　greatly　perplexed　to　determine　how　to　introduce　the　subject。

Of　course　it　would　not　answer　to　allow　the　cashier　to　fathom　his

secret　purpose；　and　yet　he　was　oppressed　with　a　vague　consciousness

that　only　a　translucent　film　hid　his　thought　from　the　world。　　Once

or　twice；　in　driving　over　on　the　unfamiliar　errand；　weak　and

irresolute　he　half　resolved　to　turn　back；　but　greed　finally

prevailed；　and　he　kept　on　to　the　village。



With　a　strong　but　unsatisfactory　effort　to　appear　at　ease；　he

sauntered　into　the　bank。　　After　the　usual　interchange　of　greetings；

he　nervously　remarked；　〃Brother　Hyde；　as　I　was　coming　this　way　to…

day　to　call　on　Brother　Tompkins；　I　have　taken　the　liberty　to　drop

in　to　ask　you　a　question　on　a　matter　in　your　line。〃



〃Very　well；〃　replied　the　banker；　〃I　shall　be　happy　to　serve　you。〃



〃I　had　a　transaction　a　few　days　ago；〃　resumed　the　clergyman；　〃with

a　peddler；an　entire　stranger　to　me；who；　in　making　change；　gave

me　a　number　of　bills　which　I　have　reason　to　suspect　are

counterfeits。　　I　desire　your　opinion。〃



〃Please　let　me　see　them；〃　said　Mr。　Hyde。



He　took　the　one…dollar　note　from　the　hand　of　the　unfaithful　pastor；

and　after　scanning　it　a　moment；　inquired；　〃What　is　the　matter　with

it？〃



〃Is　it　good？〃　queried　the　anxious　owner。



〃I　wish　I　had　my　safe　full　of　the　same　sort；〃　answered　the　banker。

〃There　is　nothing　bad　about　the　bill。　　What　makes　you　think　so？

Perhaps　you　have　shown　me　the　wrong　one。　　Let　me　see　the　others。〃



〃I　must　have　left　the　rest　at　home；〃　replied　the　preacher；　fumbling

among　the　compartments　of　the　pocket…book。



Having　accomplished　the　object　of　his　mission　without　perpetrating；

as　he　thought；　any　disastrous　blunder；　Mr。　Sapp　brought　the

interview　to　a　close　with　a　few　commonplace　remarks；　and　hurried

away　to　enjoy　in　solitary　self…communion　the　thick…crowding　visions

of　future　affluence。



With　the　last　doubt　satisfactorily　overcome；　the　plans　of　the

prospective　millionaire　rapidly　took　shape。　　He　could　raise　five

hundred　dollars；　which　at　the　proposed　rate　of　interchange　would

purchase　twenty…five　thousand　of　the　〃absolutely　perfect

imitations。〃　　The　sum　seemed　vastincalculable。　　His　imagination；

hitherto　bound　down　by　the　narrow　circumstances　of　remote　rural

life；　staggered　while　trying　to　grasp　the　conception　of　so　much

wealth。　　Like　the　mysteries　of　time　and　space；　it　appeared　too

grand　for　comprehension。　　Then　his　reveries　strayed　into　another

channel。　　What　noble　fellows　were　Ragem　&　Co。　　Why；　among　forty

millions　of　people；　did　they　pick　out　him；　an　unknown　clergyman；

living　in　an　obscure　place　hundreds　of　miles　from　the　metropolis；

to　be　the　favored　recipient　of　untold　wealth？　　Surely；　this　is　a

special　Providence。　　Not　a　sparrow　falleth　to　the　ground　without

His　knowledge。　　He　watches　over　his　own。　　Suddenly　the　erring

clergyman　feels　a　terrible　pull　at　his　heart…strings。　　What　right

has　he；　about　to　betray　a　sacred　trust；　and　engage　in　operations

branded　as　infamous　by　the　laws　of　the　land；　to　claim　the　watchful

care　of　Providence？　　Will　not　the　all…seeing　eye　follow　him？　　Will

not　the　omnipotent　hand　strike　him　heavily　in　wrath？　　The　poor　man

wipes　the　cold　perspiration　from　his　forehead；　and　wonders　if　it

will　pay。



But　he　has　paltered　too　long；　and　now　the　devil　claims　him　for　his

own。



Returning　home；　Sapp　wrote　to　Ragem　&　Co。；　stating　the　amount　of

his　available　resources；　and　saying　that　upon　a　given　day　and　hour

he　would　meet　them　at　the　appointed　rendezvous。　　On　the　following

Sunday　the　congregation　were　startled　at　the　close　of　the　afternoon

services　by　an　extraordinary　announcement　from　the　pulpit。



Before　pronouncing　the　benediction　the　pastor　said：　〃I　take　this

opportunity　to　communicate　to　you　collectively　a　piece　of　personal

intelligence　which　I　have　hitherto　kept　secret。　　Under　the　will　of

a　relative　who　recently　died　in　the　State　of　Michigan；　I　inherit　a

large　sumto　me；　with　my　humble　wants；　a　very　large　sum。　　By

appointment；　I　am　to　meet　the　executor　of　the　estate　this　week　in

New　York　City　to　receive　the　first　installment　of　the　legacy。　　I　do

not　propose　to　leave　you；